If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Fin Thirteen's 2014 Must Have Player

So, I'm not a guy who researches and digests everything about every player in the draft. Like a lot of people I comb the web and record games to look at interesting players at positions the Dolphins might want.

every year I stumble on a guy that I just can't believe people aren't more excited about. A player who isn't getting the draft grade or recognition his ability or potential deserves (to me anyway). A guy who I refuse to believe wont be a great player in the NFL regardless of what everyone else thinks

in 2010, it was Mike Williams WR, who went to TB in the fourth.
In 2011, it was Delone Carter RB, who went to the Colts (everyone's allowed an outlier!)
In 2012, it was Russell Wilson
In 2013, it was Kiko Alonso.

This year, there are a whole load of players I like that people don't seem to be writing much about. Yawin Smallwood, Joel Bitonio, Isaiah Crowell, DaQuan Jones, JaWuan James, Jimmy Ward, Jared Abbrederis, Brett Smith, Arthur Lynch.

But there's a player I'm watching that I just can't get my head around in terms of upside. His potential looks unbelievable to me. He wasn't expected to come out, so perhaps that's partly why nobody's discussing him much.

Martavis Bryant WR of Clemson. This kid has had academic issues, poor attitude, didn't apply himself, was in the shadow of Hopkins, Watkins, Ellington and Boyd. Suffice to say, he didn't maximise his potential.

But this season, he got an ultimatum from the coaches and has turned his game around. He's still very raw (unlike Russell Wilson or Kiko Alonso), but he is a 6'5" sub 4.4 kid with an unbelievable catch radius, superb body control, the blocking of a TE, a renewed and excellent on-field attitude and is absolute money in the redzone against any coverage.

I've watched 7 or 8 games of his and my belief in this kid is unshakable. The team that takes Bryant in the fourth (where he's currently being mocked) is getting a steal. He'll have limited impact in year one, is my guess, but he will explode into an elite receiving talent in the NFL.

Route running is a clear current deficiency and he needs to beat the jam a little better against press. But he just burns corners routinely, beats guys draped all over him to the ball, puts his body in the right places and is one of the most willing blockers you will find.

I don't know if there's a WR in this draft I'd prefer, in any round. I doubt it, teammate Watkins included.

Interested to hear others take on him, though it won't affect my opinion! He's my 2014 Must Have Player.

Truthfully, Miami might be the worst destination for him, where we try to showhorn him into our rinky dink WCO after 2 years inactivity on the roster because Ken O'Keefe doesn't like the way he runs the skinny post.

Clemson fan here. really thought he could have used another year in college just to have the opportunity to be the guy. you are correct his measurable are stupid. 4.4 at 6'5. Still needs to mature, get stronger, route running isn't great and needs to be more consistent catching the ball. A project with huge upside. Defiantly worth a 4th round gamble. As far as Sammy, no take Sammy all day every day.

There are definitely WR's I'd take over him, but the upside for a guy who will likely fall, because of the other WR's in the draft, is amazing. I also think it's a good fit. Miami is going into 2014 with Hartline and Wallace as their starters (for better or worse), so you raise a good point. Get a guy who can develop and has crazy upside - as long as the guy will likely receive limited action anyway. Maybe the new GM will see him as a Mike Williams kind of value (Williams was obviously more polished but less physically gifted). I like the thinking.

He's not as physical as dez Bryant was and doesn't high point the ball like dez did either in college but he's definitely got some things to work with...will be interesting to see what he runs at that size...got some burst to his game...also would be interesting to see how he handles press

Dez Bryant ran thru contact an awful lot in college even I don't see much of that here...of the big body wrs though he's one of the ones that I would be interested in for sure...

hoops scoops 2012 season ..."in 2014 ryan tannehill etches his name in stone amongst the games elite qbs"..."ryan tannehill and andrew luck will carry the afc for the next decade plus the way peyton manning and tom brady have this last decade plus" for the love of god get a real freaking mike already!!!

He's not as physical as dez Bryant was and doesn't high point the ball like dez did either in college but he's definitely got some things to work with...will be interesting to see what he runs at that size...got some burst to his game...also would be interesting to see how he handles press

Dez Bryant ran thru contact an awful lot in college even I don't see much of that here...of the big body wrs though he's one of the ones that I would be interested in for sure...

I'd definitely rather draft Bryant in the 3rd or 4th than even consider Benjamin in the 1st.

He's not as physical as dez Bryant was and doesn't high point the ball like dez did either in college but he's definitely got some things to work with...will be interesting to see what he runs at that size...got some burst to his game...also would be interesting to see how he handles press

Dez Bryant ran thru contact an awful lot in college even I don't see much of that here...of the big body wrs though he's one of the ones that I would be interested in for sure...

your concerns are my concerns with him too. Beating the jam and press coverage in general and also breaking first contact. But physically i think he has it in him. Just see how eager a blocker he is, i don't think he's shy of contact.